A Yarmouth Indian restaurant owner has spoken of his relief after allegations that he employed two illegal workers were dropped. Raza Chowdhury, of Bombay Nite, was charged with hiring two Bangladeshi men who had no right to enter or remain in the country.

A Yarmouth Indian restaurant owner has spoken of his relief after allegations that he employed two illegal workers were dropped.

Raza Chowdhury, of Bombay Nite, was charged with hiring two Bangladeshi men who had no right to enter or remain in the country.

The men were arrested by police during a night-time immigration raid on the King Street restaurant last November.

On Friday, Mr Chowdhury, who runs the Yarmouth Bangladesh aid charity Banglia, was told the Crown Prosecution Service had dropped the two charges of employing the men just a month before his trial was due to start.

The charges were discontinued because of a lack of evidence.

Last week's news has ended months of uncertainty for Mr Chowdhury, who appeared at Yarmouth magistrates court in May to deny the two offences.

He said: “I was not aware the two men were illegal. As far as I was concerned I knew I was innocent from the outset.”

Mr Chowdhury said that he was not even interviewed by police and immigration officers following the raid, which had caused a small dip in business takings.

Charges have also been dropped against Bombay Nite's previous owner, Abdul Choudhury, from Norwich.

Mr Choudhury claimed the court case and its possible stringent financial punishment had led to him having a heart attack in March.

The crown prosecution letter to both men said: “There is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.”